22 - Someone should wrap him in a soft wooly (Spam for Hoffman)

[umgekehrt]

[Riding herd on Braxiatel was the kind of cold bureaucratic work that Stildyne had signed up for in the beginning. He'd had such a long time of, really, leisure that it's been almost a surprise to fall back into the routine of surveillance, the new duty of making Braxiatel talk through everything.

And it makes his hours off more precious again, the chance to go bother Hoffman about one thing or another a pleasant reprieve.

So he knocks on the man's door with two cups of drinking chocolate-- seemed right for the weather.]

Comments

[lastmanstanding]

[Post his conversation with Stephanie, Hoffman hadn't felt like a real human being. Going back-he was firmly reminded of how he surrounded himself with the past and the man he was and not the person who he had become.

So he'd gone back to his room and taken down every picture of his friends and his sister that he could stacking them carefully on the floor.

The knock on the door was a surprise however. Hoffman had pulled spud out of his ball to play with him. Lifting the hamster in his hands he opened the door. spud squeaked and Hoffman's gaze lifted. Stildyne might notice that the walls are rather bare and there's a stack of frames in the corner.]

....C'mon in.

[Spud squeaked again and Hoffman cradled him against him]

[umgekehrt]

[Stildyne regards the scene warily. He feels much the same as the young lady about moving on, about the influence of Hoffman's past and his dwelling on it.

But a sudden impulse to abandon might be a symptom of self destructive more than anything else.

Whatever else it is: it's an invitation for Stildyne to fuss over him. This is the price Hoffman pays for letting him in.]

How are you? Brought something for being back in a colder clime.

[lastmanstanding]

[Hoffman grinned. Platently ignoring the photos he moved to put spud back in his cage.]

...I never say no to Hot Chocolate. Hot climate bothered me too to be honest.

[umgekehrt]

What's so hard about a standard climate aboard ship. It's all I want to know. [He gripes almost cheerfully, because complaining is an enjoyable hobby, and trails over to look at Spud's habitat. Spoiled little ball of fluff.]

[lastmanstanding]

[Hoffman loves that hamster. Spud for his part curls up on a massive purple bed in his habitat, content to chew on it and watch the two of them]

...Well, you know, some people don't adapt to change well. [he gestures to the bed with a grim little look before smiling] ...Have a seat man. Please, relax.

[umgekehrt]

I am relaxing. I'm bothering you. It's a therapeutic tactic of mine.

[lastmanstanding]

[Hoffman snorted.] Should have fucking figured at that.

[he laughed and moved over to the pile of frames which he picked up and began, carefully, to move them over to his closet.]

[umgekehrt]

Plans for the blank walls? [Asks a man who lived in quarters near-identical to his own aboard Ragnarok, spartan and bare, until he asked for redecoration to be done for him.]

[lastmanstanding]

[Hoffman studied the walls before looking back to him-face blank] I was going to paint them.

Murals maybe.

[umgekehrt]

That'll keep you busy. I approve. Hand up to it, then?

[lastmanstanding]

[He opens his hand and closes it, all of the fingers moving. One of them is a little stiffer, but he's gotten used to it. At least it moves.

Then, he takes a seat on the bed opposite him.]

...Need to get a table and chairs.

[umgekehrt]

Well. Out of curiosity, what happened to the ones there were?

[lastmanstanding]

I folded them up.

[Hoffman shrugs, sipping at his drink] Wanted to make some changes.

[umgekehrt]

Well, the admiral's been gracious about housing, at least. You'll have to see the changes he's made at my house. If Crabtree asks you chairs you might even get them.

[lastmanstanding]

[Hoffman's face sets. Then...withdraws and shrugs.]

It's not too bad. I...[his gaze drifted to the stacked images] I got this room as a gift I think. Only thing George provided was the hamster.

[umgekehrt]

Now there's something. I had to ask for my new quarters.

[lastmanstanding]

What do you want to ask for?

[he stops] new quarters?

[umgekehrt]

I told you, the admiral made some changes. At my request. Might as well abuse my privilege while I'm here.

[If the truth is more along the lines of 'I'd rather not live in standard ship quarters while I'm dealing with the aftermath of what was basically a command execution', Stildyne's not going to say so.]

[lastmanstanding]

....While you're here.

[Hoffman stops, expression fixed. He occupies himself by taking another sip of chocolate]

You uh...making progress?

[umgekehrt]

Not so much. [A headshake]

Hoffman. Look at it this way. The longer I stay the more chance I've got to abuse that power. Even if by some miracle I manage to help Mister Braxiatel in some fashion. I'll stay on.

[lastmanstanding]

[Hoffman sat on the bed and studied him.] You'll help the guy. You really can do this.

[umgekehrt]

[There's a weight to Stildyne's expression, the impression of a blast shield having come down somewhere.]

I'm trying. It's what I can do.